Some people don’t buy a pulse oximeter because they don’t know how to use one. It’s a shame because it has medical benefits that have helped a lot of people. Reading a person’s oxygen level is very important regardless of any medical background.

Many people have realized the importance of a pulse oximeter and they have their own portable ones that they can easily fit in their pockets. If you are planning to buy one but don’t know how to operate it, here are the basic instructions.

Even though there are many versions of a pulse oximeter, the procedure on how to operate it is generally the same. Whether you are using a hospital, home, or portable version, the outcome should remain constant. It should be able to read your oxygen saturation level. The difference between the portable models and the ones found in houses or hospitals is basically the source of power. Since you can easily carry portable oximeters, they come with rechargeable batteries. On the other hand, oximeters that are larger and immovable require an electrical plug.

The use of a pulse oximeter basically has two parts: turning it on and placing the sensor in your body. The turning on stage is simply done by pressing the start button. Regardless if you buy a switch model or a button model, you just basically turn it on.

The second part of the process is putting on the sensor to a part of your body, usually on the finger or the earlobe. However if you have nail polish in your fingernails, the machine won’t work. Oximeters make use of infrared light that needs to enter the insides of the body, if there is something blocking them like a nail polish, then they will produce void results. In the same way, no earrings are allowed if you decide to place the sensor on your earlobe. Make sure you pick the body part that you feel is clean and a good source of a strong pulse.

After the two simple steps, you just have to wait for the calculation of your oxygen level to appear on the screen. This will be done in a matter of seconds. The number that will appear is the percentage of how many oxygen molecules are found in your blood.

Now that you know how to operate a pulse oximeter, you can buy one now from a hospital or from your doctor. You can know your oxygen saturation at any time of the day just by repeating this simple process.